The Sexist In The Tree
by Parody-lover
Summary: First in a serie of fics chronicling the lives and deaths of TDI characters fifteen years after the show. Based on Bones episodes. Read author's note for details. Originally under Misc. Cartoons Geoff/Bridgette SPOILERS FOR YOU AMERICAN READERS
1. Part 1

Since I've been having this idea in my head I decided to just get it out right now and break my promise of updating my other stories before starting this one. Slightly different from the one I wrote in my journal, it has the same overall idea of The Blonde In The Game, but I've decided to turn it into a series of fics (each fic should be about three to four chapters) we'll see how this turns out. This story is just basically to introduce OCs and the main plot. I think some characters are a little OOC but hey, it's been 15 years since TDI!

--

The Sexist In The Tree

"Hurry up Will! Or we'll be late for class!" shouted a boy in a red uniform to another boy behind him. They were running to make sure they would not be late for their classes at the DaVinci Academy. However, who cares? They're just extras in the story.

"Can we…just…rest for a…moment…please!" Will, a slightly round stomached boy asked. He had just eaten lunch out in the private fields and forest of the Academy.

"Alright, but don't blame me if we get detention." The other boy huffed. Will, greatly relieved, sat down under the shade of the tree and looked up at the bright green leaves, but noticed something strange.

"Say, what's that thing up there?"

'What thing?"

"That lump caught between a few branches. Think we should climb to see what's up there."

"Sure, not like there's anything better to do, like maybe, I don't know, getting to class?!"

"Come on, we're already late, let's just see what's up there.

"Fine," the two boys proceeded to climb and after a few moments their screams were heard all the way back in the classrooms.

--

"All I'm saying is that you've seemed to, I don't know, forgot all the good times we had back on TDI," thirty one year old Special Agent Geoff Murdock said as he trudged up the small grassy hill. Despite fifteen more years of growing since TDI, Geoff didn't look all too different: same blonde hairstyle, same muscular build, and same cowboy hat. He was taller though, and was wearing an unbuttoned black suit with a pink shirt and no tie. "I mean, don't you remember when we used to make out in the hot tub?"

"Vividly," Dr. Bridgette Dodson replied dismissively. Now, thirty one years old, Bridgette still retained a healthy lifestyle and thus, a fit body, which currently was covered with a blue jumpsuit 

like…clothing with a yellow biohazard warning sticker on it. Although she occasionally wore her hair down now, she would put it in a ponytail whenever she worked, which was a lot. "It's not that I don't like you Geoff, it's just that it's been fifteen years and things change," she explained for probably the hundredth time that month, "maybe after we get more used to our work partnership we'll see." With that, she continued walking, while putting on latex gloves.

"It's been 3 years since the FBI teamed me up with you to solve cases," Geoff pointed out.

Behind them, Peyton O'Riley listened to their bickering with a smile. A slightly obese man, (not as much as Owen but not regular sized either) Peyton was Bridgette's best friend at the Jeffersonian, the place where skeletal remains are shipped to be identified for museums, public displays, and homicidal cases. Wearing the same blue biohazard jumpsuit that Bridgette wore, he was slightly unconventional in the ways he accessorized, seeing as he couldn't wear any clothes that could channel his eccentricity at work. He had one ear pierced with a small gold hoop, almost like a gold ring and constantly wore rectangular, yellow tinted work goggles.

He ran his hand through his light brown hair that was styled in what some people might say like a turf of grass and thought back. Indeed, it had been three years since Geoff was partnered with famed forensic anthropologist, Bridgette, and has since been trying to play cupid and hook her up with her old island boyfriend. _guess it's time to step up my game_ he thought. But before he could think of any evil, but romantic, schemes he stopped at a yellow crime scene taped area with a few other people already there.

"Time to get to work," Peyton said he ducked under the tape and flashed the police officers his id which was clipped to the suit. Bridgette and Geoff did the same thing, although not before Geoff quickly added, to Bridgette, "we'll continue our conversation later," getting an eye roll from her.

"So…where's the body?" Geoff asked looking around. An officer in black, simply pointed up and three pairs of eyes followed.

"No way, it's up a tree?" Peyton asked, amazed.

"Uh, yes. We've already taken some pictures of it at all angles, so do we take it down now?"

"I think that would be nice, unless you want me to do my job in a tree," replied Bridgette rather bluntly, causing the man to blush and Geoff to start chuckling. "Just make sure you take it down carefully and as close to it's shape in the tree as possible and send the photos to the Jeffersonian."

A few minutes and close calls later…

"Bones structure indicates that our victim was male, late twenties or early thirties…" started Peyton as he eyed the bloody skeleton critically. There were still bits of flesh on it, and a couple of maggots and other things.

"The abnormal thinness of the bones shows that this person had a lack of outdoor activities, most likely a recluse, and given the rate of flesh deterioration, I'll say he's been up the tree or at least dead for a few weeks. Peyton, take a sample of the maggots and see if its growth matches the presumed length of decomposition." Bridgette said in an all business, slightly detached tone to not only Peyton but to Geoff who was at the side watching carefully. Although he wasn't so much as interested in watching the body as he was with Bridgette. He had to admit, she looked stunning even in something as plain as a blue jumpsuit, but flirting beside a rotting dead corpse would be a bit too weird, he decided to wait until they got back to the lab.

--

"Come on, just maybe a cup of coffee at the diner, something small like that," Geoff tried reasoning with Bridgette for a "date" date ever since they reached his car. (Peyton took a shorter route with the truck that transported the body, which he was creepily fine with.)

"We always go out for a cup of coffee at the diner," Bridgette said as the two walked up the majestic and large varnished wooden stairs leading into the metallic, scientific looking lab.

"Yes, but as friends on off time or when we're taking a break while solving a case, but not as a real, 'let's take our relationship further and see if it still has that spark it had on TDI' date." Geoff was walking, or rather running behind her as they entered the lab, a huge and, uh, lab-like, area. Bridgette had changed out of her "crime scene" outfit and was currently pulling her hair out of her ponytail, letting it cascade down to her shoulders, all curly and full of volume, while walking and throwing on her loose fitting blue lab coat over her usual white shirt, black blazer and pants.

"It's been fifteen years, Geoff, things…change." she replied stiffly as she ran her id card across a slit. A loud beep was heard and she walked up a raised platform containing examination tables, one or two computers and other tools.

Despite trying his best, he rolled his eyes at her comment. Honestly, if she was on a TV show that would so be her catchphrase. He quickly ran his id and waited for the beep. There were a few times before where he forgot to do that, needless to say, at least the alarms got tested.

"Body's here," a young Asian woman (AN: imagine an Asian Phoebe from Friends) in her late twenties said in perky tone.

"That has been Maurecia, with the obvious," Peyton said jokingly, earning a glare from Maurecia Lee, "by the way, what took you guys so long?"

"Traffic," Bridgette replied quickly, "so did you have time to analyze the body and find a face?"

Everyone immediately quieted, and Geoff swore he heard crickets. It turns out that someone was doing a cricket experiment in the lab but never mind that. Bridgette and Geoff continued to look 

confused and irritated at the sudden silence. Peyton and Maurecia quickly went into panic override.

"Well…" Geoff said, hoping to get more of a response. Everyone turned to face Peyton.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't look at me, Mauricia's our resident face drawer and missing person finder." Everyone looked at her.

"Gee, way to put up a united front," she muttered. She paused as she figured out how she was going to word it.

"Okay, Bridgette, Geoff, you know how you guys were on that reality show when you were teens? Well, okay before I say anything, let me remind you that our jobs are…hard. I mean, yes, it's a fact of life that we all die, but still it's hard for us emotionally to be so close to death. And it's even harder with a loved one or someone we know and…oh screw it. It's Ezekiel Paxton! He's the dead guy on the table." With that she pointed not so subtly to the dead body and started frantically typing into a nearby computer. "I reconstructed the face based on the skull structure, and I checked the missing person files. He's been missing for a few weeks. So there! He was first to get eliminated and now he was the first to die." She huffed as the shock was being absorbed by the good doctor and FBI agent.

Peyton quickly whispered to Maurecia, "Whatever happened to taking it slowly and subtly?"

"I figured I'll go with the peeling off a band aid technique."

"I see," he replied, not really getting it, "Wow, you know I always thought fate would put everyone from TDI back together…" Peyton continued, trying to lighten the mood with a little humour.

"If that's the case, then fate has a dark sense of humour," Bridgette commented, looking at the rotting corpse. Suddenly an intern in a blue lab coat, (well that's descriptive) came up.

"Uh, Dr. Dodson, there's a woman in your office, waiting. She wants to see you, says it's an emergency."

Bridgette looked at the young intern and then at Geoff and the two walked down the platform towards her office, "Peyton, Maurecia, check to see if you can identify how good ole' Zeke died." As the two walked towards the glass walled office in an uncomfortable silence, Geoff took a glance at her.

"Bridge, you okay?" he asked, concern easily detectable in his question.

"I'm fine, really, it's just that I've always been so used to those bodies on that examination table to be strangers, you know…" Before she could continue, they heard music coming from her office, "someone turned the radio on."

_And you still don't have the right look, and you don't have the right friends, nothing changes but the faces, the names, and the trends, high school never ends…_

The music continued as Geoff and Bridgette got closer to her office, and although the walls were made of glass, Geoff still couldn't see who was in there, seeing as the person was in Bridgette's swivel chair and the back of it was facing the door, and because of the couch that was in there was obstructing the view. _I should really ask her why she was a couch in her office,_Geoff thought.

As soon as they entered the door the radio was turned off and the chair turned.

"You know, I just really love that song, reminds me of my life," the unknown figure said as she turned the chair around to face them. She proceeded to tilt backwards slightly and lay her feet on the edge of the desk.

Although Bridgette felt slightly annoyed that the person was in her office without her consent she couldn't help but grin, "Nice to see you too, Beth."

--

Read And Review please! Oh, and brownie points for those who know the song!


	2. Part 2

This has been floating in my head for a while so instead of studying gor my socials exam I'm gonna update this.

--

"Nice to see you too, Beth."

"Thanks, and Geoff, it's not polite to gape at people."

Geoff shook his head a bit to clear his mind, "Sorry, I know you sometimes help us with cases, you being a private detective and all, but…"

"How did I know to come?" she laughed, getting out of Bridgette's chair to let her sit and moved herself to the couch, "let's just say, I've been keeping tabs on most of the people from TDI."

"So I take it you know our latest victim is Ezekiel?" Bridgette ventured.

"Yep, poor guy, never really talked to him, though can't really say the same for you…" Beth remarked cheekily.

"Just because he tried to flirt with me…"

"While I was making out with you in the hot tub,"

"Thanks for the reminder Geoff, anyways, just because he flirted with me doesn't mean we knew each other very well."

"Good memory, but I'm not here to reminisce about old times. Did you guys find out the method of death yet?"

"Peyton and Maurecia are working on it," Bridgette replied, opening and checking her drawers and folders to see if Beth had been looking at things she shouldn't.

"Too bad, I have this hypothesis I need to check out," she said. That immediately got the other two's attentions.

"Really? What about?" Geoff asked.

"You know Ezekiel's parents are farmers right? Let's just say that Ezekiel decided to continue the family career, only in a different way."

"You know Beth, talking vaguely will not help our case," Geoff said, he hated when she was in full detective mode.

"You'll find out soon enough," she said. She walked out the door but paused, "I'll be in touch with you guys real soon."

Suddenly, Peyton poked his head through the door, "uh, Dr. B, we found some interesting things with Ezekiel's body."

--

"Ezekiel was definitely strangled, given the crushed larynx. Thank god the throat area wasn't decomposed entirely or it would have been impossible to get that from the bones."

"Peyton, are you comparing bones with flesh again?"

"I'm just saying, you seen to have a great reluctance to dealing with bodies that are…fleshy. If I was Sigmund Freud I would say you don't want to deal with fleshy remains because it's still too humanoid, and therefore, to close for comfort with you."

"Peyton, please don't talk to me about psychology, I don't put much stock in it. I just prefer bones because I studied them and therefore I know them better."

"Sweetie, just because psychology brings out things that you'll rather have hidden doesn't mean it's wrong," Maurecia commented quickly.

"Okay, could we just focus on the body?" Geoff asked, desperately trying to steer the conversation away.

"Fine, interesting thing though, look at the hyoid bone."

"The what?" Geoff asked, as he was about to answer his ringing phone.

"The hyoid bone, the bone in the neck that supports the tongue," Bridgette said, saying it as if it was the most obvious thing in the word, "it's broken."

"Yep, and while a fractured hyoid bone signals strangulation, it is definitely too strong to be broken up like that, no matter what amount of pressure the strangler used."

"Odd," Bridgette said. Geoff pocketed his phone.

"According to head office, Zeke worked at a plant farm near the edge of the city. The plants were specifically used to make drugs for pharmacies," he finally got what Beth meant by Ezekiel working on a farm but not in an expected way, "come on Bridge."

--

"So, are you doing anything tonight?" Geoff asked casually as they strode on to the field of Oakfield Medical Farm, the afternoon bright sun high above their heads, Bridgette stared at him in disbelief.

"We're trying to catch a murderer, and you're asking for a date?"

"You know, just to lighten the mood. You were pretty silent on the way here."

"Well…I… look it's been rough morning okay? I mean first we find our former teammate is murdered, and now another person from our reality days past is dropping mysterious, not so helpful clues? It's too much," Bridgette said. Geoff nodded in agreement and the two went into a comfortable and understanding silence. The two finally stopped at a large field where a few people were working and walked up to a man.

"Excuse us, sir? We were wondering if we could speak to the head person around here?"

"What's it to you?" the man replied, obviously not the most educated person in the world.

Geoff flipped open his badge, "FBI, Agent Geoff Murdock, this is my partner, Dr. Bridgette Dodson," he took out a picture of Ezekiel, "Sir, do you know this man?"

The man looked at the picture, then to Geoff, then to Bridgette, "You asked me if I know who the boss 'ere is?"

"Uh, yes."

"Well you just answered your own question. That's 'im right there, in that photo."

"Well, this makes this case a lot more interesting," Bridgette said as the man stalked off, mumbling something about federal idiots.

--

"Wow, Ezekiel Paxton, dead," Jack Bryon shook his head, "that is…unexpected."

"What's even more unexpected is that the next person in charge here is the same psycho who appeared in the same reality show as Mr. Paxton," Bridgette said suspiciously. True to her word, the man they were talking to was no other than the hook-handed psycho of a long time ago, in all his… uh, hook-handed glory.

Bryon chuckled in his unusually high voice, "You must be really good if you've already know that." He didn't seem to notice that the two investigators had also been on the show, and Geoff and Bridgette didn't really want to waste time telling him that. "But I am a reformed man, my dear. Heck, I didn't even know he was on Total Drama Island until my interview." He got off of his chair and proceeded to walk around is desk, nothing fancy, jus a regular wooden desk.

"Let me tell you, I owe Mr. Paxton my career. Due to my record and my, uh, disability," he raised his hook for emphasis, "no one wanted to hire me, no one that is, except for Mr. Paxton. Although I believed he hired me out of naivety, he gave me a second chance in life. Besides, in about five years I will be retiring, if I wanted to kill him I would have done it sooner."

Geoff nodded as he absorbed this information, "well then, did Mr. Paxton have any enemies?"

Bryon's forehead creased slightly as his lips turned into a small frown, "I'm sure you would know that Mr. Paxton was homeschooled and is, or, was a remarkably intelligent man. He could speak five different languages fluently if I recall. However, when it came to society and, uh, social outings, Mr. Paxton was more than just lacking in skills. Let's just say his views on women were a little, how should I put this, medieval?"

"You're implying that he was a socially awkward misogynist?" Bridgette asked, knowing full well the answer to that question.

"Well, I don't wanna speak badly of him since he's dead and all but yeah, he never gave promotions to the ladies here. Everyone who is female hated him. Though if you ask me, I would question Diane McCormick first, she's a real aggressive feminist, and when I say aggressive, I mean it."

"Diane McCormick? Is she a worker here?"

Bryon scoffed, "Believe me, if she worked here, she would've quit the very next day. No, she owns the horse ranch next door, though given that our fields are a couple of acres, next door is still pretty far away," he chuckled, "but anyways, McCormick was always coming down here and protesting about the inequality between men and women workers, her protests turned into threats sometimes too. Then there was the sick horses incident and that made the relationship even worse…"

"Wait," Geoff stopped him, "what sick horses incident?"

"Well there was this one time where some of her horses got onto our fields and ate some of the plants, which made them sick. Paxton and McCormick got into this huge fight about whose fault it was, almost went to court too."

"Well thanks for you time Mr. Bryon, we'll…be in touch," Geoff gently grabbed Bridgette's arm and was leading her to the door when he stopped and turned around, "oh, and don't you even think about running off to Peru or Mexico while Dr. Dodson and I are still working on this case."

--

"Looks like Miss Diane McCormick is on our top list of suspects," Geoff said as the two walked along the long dirt road leading into the "parking lot" on both sides of them were long rows of who-knows-what being harvested by a few workers, some that were smart enough to wear light clothes and a hat.

"Still, we shouldn't count out our hook-handed ex-felon, most murderers don't change their ways, it's been hard-wired into their brains," Bridgette stated, quite enjoying the country view they were seeing. Geoff snorted almost inaudibly at her statement.

"This coming from the woman who keeps saying that things change."

Pretending to be hurt by his comment, she playfully jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow, albeit a little too hard. All of a sudden her cell phone rang.

"Dodson."

"Hey Bridgette, could you turn on your laptop's live camera feed? I've got something I really want to show you," Maurecia was on the other line, calling all the way from the Jeffersonian, "so, how's your little county side outing with that hunk of a FBI agent?" Like Peyton, Maurecia seems to have a fixed belief that Bridgette and Geoff belonged together, something about them looking so cute together when she had watched the show. Although her method was to make it as obvious as possible instead of Peyton's subtle scheming.

Although she knew Maurecia couldn't see her she rolled her eyes, "I'll call you or Peyton back when I get the feed on." Luckily they had just reached Geoff's car, where she had left the laptop and a minute or so later they were feeding live to the Jeffersonian, via a web cam. She quickly dialed Peyton's number, knowing full too well that if she called Maurecia she would probably make another dating joke about her and Geoff.

"This is Peyton O'Riley," Peyton said when he picked up.

"Peyton, how many times do I have to tell you? If someone's calling to you then obviously they know who's most likely going to answer it, you don't need to introduce yourself."

"I know, it just makes me feel all businessmen like."

"What is it that you would like to show me? I'm hooked up now." Peyton quickly hung up the phone and soon Geoff and Bridgette could see Maurecia and Peyton's face on the computer screen, as well as Sarah O'Riley, Peyton's sister who worked at the Jeffersonian as well. Despite being related Sarah was very fit and had long orange hair (slightly lighter than Izzy's ) instead of brown, though Peyton claims that she dyes it so that no one would easily relate her to her brother. It was obvious that she was the voice of reason out of the two, as well as out of the entire team.

"Upon further investigation at the throat we figured he was strangled with a cord of some sort. Not as thick as usually rope but not thin enough to slice it either," Sarah remarked. That gave Bridgette an idea.

"So would something like a horse's reins be possible?"

Sarah thought for a moment, "Yes, I suppose it could work, not too thick but not too thin. Why would you suggest that?"

"Never mind, just keep working on that body" (boy, does that sound weird out of context) "I'll be back as soon as possible, Geoff and I need to look into a lead we have," with that she shut off the laptop and looked at Geoff, who twirled his car keys in his fingers.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Geoff asked as he started the engine.

Bridgette just smiled, and said smugly, "Giddy up."

"Please don't say that."

--

Coming up next: Diane McCormick get interrogated, the head HEAD honcho gets questioned and Bridgette gets an unexpected visit from an old "friend" at her apartment,

Read and Review, or I will send killer clowns that will destroy you all! Muah ha ha! I'm desperate here, right now I this story has an astounding…no reviews. I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!


	3. Finale

Well, here it is: the answer you've all been waiting for. Originally this was supposed to be two parts but I decided to merge them together. Thanks to all who read and reviewed and tune in for updates on my other stories/ new stories and of course the second installment of this fic series. Please read the AN s at the end for I have made a few dedications and you might be one of them as well as FAQs.

Disclaimer: I do not own TDI or Bones…the state of Kansas, on the other hand…

Chapter 3

"Ezekiel Paxton was a sexist, dirty scumbag!...but I didn't kill him," Diane McCormick, the fiery haired forty something women in jeans and a blouse replied.

"Not really the most convincing statement ever Ms. McCormick," Geoff said, as he and Bridgette sat opposite her at a plain wooden table in the FBI interrogation room. Bridgette couldn't help but look around every time she was here. What is it with government agents and cops to have barren and plain interrogation rooms, save for a plain wooden table and chairs located _exactly_ in the middle and one wimpy lamp hanging over said table. Talk about unoriginal and clichéd.

"Look I keep telling you, yes, I had arguments with Paxton, yes, I threatened him a few times, but no, I did not kill him. I mean, the man was rude and arrogant but he doesn't deserve to die. I only said the threats to scare him a little you know. Check my records I'm an advocate for women's rights and non-violence."

"Just because you say it doesn't mean you won't break your principles for the 'greater good'." Geoff said, as he took out a plastic evidence bag with a horse rein in it, taken from the ranch, "plus, this rein matches the description for the murder weapon." Okay, so the only description they had was long and mildly thin, but hey, it matched didn't it?

"Officer, anyone could've taken them. I always leave them out in the stables like that."

"Yes, but…"

"Excuse me," Bridgette said, completely unaware that she was interrupting Geoff, "Ms. McCormick, could you please stand up?"

"Uh, sure," She stood up and Bridgette was about to do the same until Geoff pulled her back into her seat.

"What are you doing?" he whispered.

"Trying to prove a point," she answered standing up again and walking over to McCormick.

"Ms. McCormick, how tall are you?"

"Just a little under five feet, my parents were pretty short so it's genetics." Bridgette kept staring until finally she spoke up.

"Okay, you're free to go."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a minute!" Now it was Geoff's turn to stand, "Bridge, you may be the boss back at the Jeffersonian lab, but here," he waved his hands around for emphasis, "here, this is my territory, so I'm the one who says who's guilty and who can go." There was a slight pause.

"You done with your speech yet?"

"Not quite!" Geoff replied a little louder than he wanted, he quieted down a bit, "why do you think she didn't do it?"

"Because she's too short. I checked Ezekiel's stats and he was five foot five. The angle of the indention created by the murder weapon was slanted up towards the throat, so it had to be someone taller than Ezekiel." she explained, quite happy and smug.

"Look, can I go or not?" Diane said, quite confused at what just happened.

"Yeah, you can go," Geoff said dejectedly, having headed into another dead end in the case, that and the fact that Bridgette just stumped him…again.

--

For a slight workaholic, Dr. Bridgette Dodson also knew how to relax, she was a trophy winning surfer for God's sake! Deciding to get off work early before she deflated Geoff's ego even more she headed back to her loft, a pretty comfy environment with a lot of space. It had a great view of the city, and had cost a pretty penny too, luckily being one of the top forensic anthropologists in the country gets you a better pay than most people think. Making herself comfortable at a table before digging into her mac and cheese the doorbell suddenly rang.

Heaving herself reluctantly from her dinner she opened the door, revealing Beth, who simply stood in the doorway.

"How the hell did you find out where I lived?"

"Hello to you too, Bridgette," Beth replied completely ignoring her question, because she found out her living address through unconventional, and slightly illegal ways.

"I'm sorry, hi, Beth, I wasn't expecting you."

"Were you expecting someone like Geoff?"

"Geoff and I are in a completely platonic relationship that doesn't need to be risked and over-complicated by dating," Bridgette said quickly, perhaps a little too quickly.

"I was referring to him coming over to talk about the case but now that you mention it…"

Bridgette immediately felt her face redden, and if it weren't for the fact that Beth was here she would've seriously considered smacking her head against the wall.

"Look," she said sitting down, facing Beth, "I may have liked Geoff, a lot, when we were teens, but now…things change." She herself was getting tired of saying it, and now looking back she was starting to wonder how true those words actually were.

"I see, hey, isn't that the ceramic change bowl Geoff made you that you accidently broke and spent a whole weekend fixing again?" Beth replied smirking as she pointed to said bowl located on a small wooden shelf among her books.

When Beth made her first cheeky comment Bridgette had first thought she couldn't have been able to blush more if she wanted too. She was wrong, "I…well…it was a very sweet gesture, awkward maybe, but still very sweet."

"Yeah, Geoff's just a huggable, cavity-inducing teddy bear." Beth said absentmindedly.

"Yes he is," she replied, and it took a second before she realized what she said, "I mean, no he isn't, actually he is, but the way I said it didn't mean…he's…" as Bridgette continued fumbling through, Beth couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, I think you don't want to date him because you're afraid that if things ever get awkward between you two then it might affect your partnership and friendship with him, and thus you two might get reassigned and you'll never see each other again. Admit, you love him, but you're scared to act upon it." Beth said, surprised she had said something so insightful with having murder or spying attached to it. Perhaps spending too much time with Maurecia and Peyton, talking about their co-worker/friend's obliviousness to her love for Geoff had made her more philosophical.

"You're a detective, not a psychologist," was the only defense Bridgette had left. She was obviously loosing this "discussion" but still, she's been losing it ever since Beth walked through the door.

"That's a pretty weak argument, Bridge."

Now it was Bridgette's turn to laugh, "no one ever calls me Bridge, that's kinda a nickname reserved only to be used by…Geoff," she admitted. Suddenly she found herself in an awkward staring contest with the detective. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, well that was correct; Beth was trying to see what was going on in the little busy factory known as the 

mind and soul of Dr. Bridgette Dodson, PhD. _Well the tour's over, Detective, _Bridgette thought, trying to shut Beth out, but after a while she knew it was a losing battle.

"Alright! I admit it!"

"Admit what?" Beth asked, she may have been a pushover on the show but God did she have a slight sadistic streak now.

Bridgette sighed, no use being vague or hiding it now, "maybe I do…" Suddenly, as if Fate had decided he had teased Bridgette enough and decided to taunt Beth now, her phone rang. She quickly rushed to answer the phone, saved by the bell indeed.

"Dodson," she replied, noticing Beth's glum mood as she stabbed the mac and cheese with a fork.

"Doc, I've found something that might interest you," Peyton said ironically on the other line, not knowing that tomorrow he was gonna hate himself once Beth tells him the moment he interrupted.

"Okay, I'll head to the Jeffersonian right away after I tell Geoff, see you in a while," she hung up and looked smugly at Beth.

"Well. I'll love to stay and chat but I have a murder to solve, if you want you can stay and eat that mac and cheese.' With that, she went into her room to change. Beth simply stared at the dinner and dropped her head to the table; she apparently did not like losing.

--

"Alright, you little, smart sciency people, what have you got for me?" Goff asked as he and Bridge checked into the examination table.

"Ketamine," was all Sarah O'Riley said, not looking up from the case file.

"Okay, let's add that to the book of words that Geoff has never heard of," he replied. Bridgette however stared in amazement.

"Of course! But how did you…"

"Testing of the maggots found in Zeke's body showed traces of it." Peyton said, looking rather smug.

"Okay, when did I get the power of invisibility here huh? What on earth is ketamine?" Geoff asked, luckily for him Phoebe answered his question this time.

"Ketamine is a drug that most vets use as an anesthetic, though it has been used by humans illegally due to hallucinations and other effects that the drug has on people, duh!"

"Okay, I'll ignore my wanting to shoot you right now with that last comment. So… the Z-man was a druggie?"

"More than likely drugged involuntarily, this explains the broken hyoid bone. Ingestion of the drug combined with the choking could cause his stomach acid to come back up in the process. After he was dead it stayed in his throat area, which made the already fractured hyoid even weaker, breaking it," Bridgette replied calmly.

"So if someone was trying to kill Zeke with a ketamine overdose…" Geoff started.

"But working in the drug business he found out what was happening and who was behind it…" Bridgette continued, both their thoughts moving together like a train.

"And Zeke cornered the murderer, then the killer would have no choice but try to attack him and physically kill him!" Geoff finished. Despite the gravity of the situation, he smiled at Bridge, "we are back in business!" The pair high-fived, much to the amusement of the others.

"True, we found out about the ketamine, but does that really prove who killed him?' Peyton asked, feeling a little guilty about being the bearer of bad news.

"Actually," Geoff said, the wheels in his brain turning, "if the stomach acid came up due to the keta…. whatever…"

"Ketamine," Peyton said quickly.

"Yeah, if that along with the choking then how long between the poisoning and the strangling does it have to be in order to have that happen?"

"Not very long, in fact in order for that to happen Ezekiel had to know very quick or have found the killer very quickly," Bridgette said, a light bulb going off in her head, "which means that it has to be someone Ezekiel was very close to, maybe even in the same room at the time…"

"Someone who helps him get his drink and knows him very well…" Geoff continued.

"Someone who also has a fine knowledge of drugs…" Peyton said, finally getting who Geoff and Bridgette were talking about.

"Someone who…someone who…oh I give up, I have no idea who we're talking about," Maurecia replied, not wanting to break the chain.

"Jack Bryon was VP of Ezekiel's pharmaceutical farm, so he should know a lot about certain drugs, plus, being close to Ezekiel he could've slipped the ketamine in his drink, and he's deffinately way taller than Ezekiel," Bridgette said, "I think we just figured it out. Come on Geoff, we have to go arrest him."

"Yeah well you guys better hurry, I just got off the phone and it turns out that since Bryon's the head now, he's on his way to the airport to catch a plane to a pharmaceutical convention in Wyoming," Sarah said.

Peyton looked impressed, "Wow, for a blood thirsty killer, he has impeccable timing. I mean knocking someone off just before a convention so that he'll have a reasonable escape route, impressive," he stopped when he noticed a few shocked stares, "I'm complimenting the murderer again aren't I?"

--

Jack Bryon walked briskly to Gate A14, luggage in hand. Things were finally going his way for once, after years of sucking up to a younger and naïve man, he was finally the boss. He stopped short however when he noticed Special Agent Geoff Murdock and Dr. Bridgette Dodson standing in his way.

"Why hello there, Mr. Murdock, Miss, Dodson, I'm just on my way to a convention in Wyoming, not Peru or Mexico," he joked, referencing Geoff's earlier conditions.

"I think you better cancel the flight, Mr. Bryon," Geoff said, holding up a pair of handcuffs, "you're under arrest for the murder of Ezekiel Paxton, and don't try anything stupid, we have back up from the FBI and airport security."

Jack Bryon, in no mood to fight, (he wasn't as young as he used to be) simply dropped his bag and muttered.

"Oh, crap. Not again."

--

It was nearing ten o'clock and after some other agents had taken over things, Bridgette and Geoff decided to head over to the Royal Diner for a cup of coffee.

"So, another case solved thanks to the dynamic duo," Geoff chuckled as bite down on his piece of pie, 'this is really good, you sure you don't want any?"

Bridgette just shook her head, absentmindedly playing with her veggie burger, she was certain that her mac and cheese at home was either already eaten by Beth or placed back in the fridge, "I'm fine Geoff."

"Still not over the fact that we knew our latest vic huh?" Geoff said, knowing her all to well. He placed his hand over hers, which was remarkably comforting in Bridgette's opinion.

"He may not have said the right things but he was just getting use to freedom by himself, no parents, no teasing. He was naïve, but smart and he could've done the world a lot of good with 

his company, "she sighed, "I guess I'm not used to seeing a familiar face on a skull that's all, I mean, I get caught up in their life's story but it was always just bones. Kinda pathetic huh? A forensic anthropologist who gets all attached to dead bodies."

Geoff gave her a sympathetic smile and carefully brushed back a loose strand of Bridgette's hair, "no, I think that's what makes you, you. A sweet, caring woman who's good at what she does, and that's helping people find out what happened to their missing loved ones."

"Thanks Geoff. I feel better already," the two got out of their chairs, and left a few dollar bills for the check, but before moving, Geoff, much to Bridgette's surprise pulled her close and gave her a nice long hug.

"Just a simple guy hug, you know, a hug a guy would give to his friends, purely platonic," he explained to a bewildered Bridgette after he let go.

Her mind completely went back into just a few hours before when she was talking to Beth. Her carefree side of her brain was telling her to go for it and just ask Geoff out and forget about the damn fears and insecurities for once, however her cautious and slightly paranoid side of her brain was telling that they had a great friendship that doesn't need risking and to just forget about her carefree side since it was treading on dangerous grounds. Unfortunately, the cautious side won tonight.

"Uh, Bridge? You want me to drive you home?" Geoff asked snapping Bridgette out of her reverie.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure," she said, smiling as Geoff opened the door for her. Maybe tonight wasn't the night but still, one small step at a time.

--

So that's the end of that tale. I am not a romance writer by nature so if the little fluff scenes were a little awkward then yeah…I'll try to improve though, and suggestions are entirely welcomed.

Dedications:

Sam7418- the review I got was what made me jump back into the story, even though it was extortion. But still, killer bunnies man, you don't want to run into one of those. I mean, what's with all the carrots, what do they need such good eyesight for anyways? (Buffy fans should get the last sentence/joke)

TearWorkshop- For her wonderful reviews and PMs, and for requesting things POLITELY and not badgering me constantly for things. Also For being a Beth lover, go underdogs!

UnspokenArtist- For being an awesome reviewer for all my stories, and for inspiring me with the Bridge nickname thing from her story STHD.

Jacqueline229- For always reviewing my work, she will be making an appearance in the next fic in this series which I have yet to name.

As well, everyone else who reviewed.

A lot of people have been asking about Gwen in these stories, don't worry she will be appearing in the next one, and before you start throwing things at me, she will not be the victim, though I think you'll still throw things at me when you find out who it is. Leshawna will also appear but later on as a recurring character, I do have her slated for the Christmas fic that will come around Christmas.

Tune in for the next installment: Musician In The Grass


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